1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable fire escape systems, and more particularly to a fire escape chute utilizing water flow and means for decelerating the velocity of the escapee.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a continuing need for an effective and efficient fire escape device for medium size buildings to safely remove occupants from the windows, especially where other exits may be blocked by fire. The approach of using a chute type device has been tried in the past. In an early patent to Bentley, U.S. Pat. No. 268,608, a slideway mounted on a truck is raised to a point at which a person who may be disabled is lowered through the slideway by means of a chain arrangement. The device can only handle one person at a time and would be required to be operated rather slowly. A safety chute is disclosed by Tracy in U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,019 in which a platform is raised on a vertical boom to a window and a cable suspending a fabric chute is anchored to the ground from the platform. A person to be rescued slides down the chute and deceleration restrictions are included in the lower portion of the chute to slow the person to a safe speed. Johnson et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,542 teach a plurality of cylinders formed from metal or composition. These must be assemblied at the site and raised to a window. No means of deceleration is provided. A foam pad or the like is placed at the bottom of the chute to catch the person descending therethrough. Miller in U.S. Pat. No. 3,033,308 discloses a semi-circular segmented chute mounted on a truck or the like which can be folded for transport and extended for use. A net supported by legs is provided to catch the person coming down the chute.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,757 to Kennedy, a concave safety net attached between two horizontal cross arms that spread the net laterally is disposed by telescoping booms attached to the bed of a truck. The upper cross arm is raised toward windows from which persons are attempting to evacuate a building. The person is expected to jump a necessary distance to the net and to slide the remaining distance to the ground along the surface of the net. The upper cross arm includes nozzles which can wet the net for both protection from fire and to reduce friction. At the base of the net, openings are provided which guide the person through a chute-like device onto a landing net or pad. Although the concavity of the net would tend to slow persons down at the lower end, this will depend upon the height from which the person has jumped. Thus, there is an element of danger is present in this type of rescue device.
Thus, there is a need for a simple rescue chute which can be quickly raised to the window openings in a burning building or the like, and in which persons will exit one at a time and can be quickly accelerated and decelerated as required to permit them to land on the ground without injury.